Sit-in In Tahrir Square Sunday Against Constitutional Amendments

Egyptian activists from all political powers and movements called for holding a sit-in Tahrir Square in central Cairo on Sunday evening on the eve of the referendum on the constitutional amendments scheduled for next Monday .
 
In a call posted on Web sites under the headline “We don”t want the constitutional amendments… we want you to step down”, some political activists called on all sections of the Egyptian society to participate in this sit-in .
 
The activists discussed some of the dangers of amending article 197, including authorizing policemen to storming into and searching houses and wiretapping telephones without any warrant from the public prosecution, a serious violation to citizens” private freedoms.
 
They explained also the defects of amending article 88 which is related to sidelining the direct judicial supervision on the elections.
 
Sources familiar with the Egyptian Interior Ministry told Ikhwanweb that the Interior Minister Habib Al-Adli prepared a plan, he referred to Mubarak Sr. and Mubarak Jr., for making appearances for participating in the referendum; this plan includes gathering some thousands of public sector employees in front of certain election committees in Cairo and key governorates after giving them bribes; also, the Interior Ministry will prepare, according to this plan, stuffed ballot boxes in order to pass the constitutional amendments.
 
This plan which was approved by Mubarak aims also at affording huge numbers of security elements in central Cairo to repress any demonstrations that may take place using karate groups and electric batons and avoid rubber bullets or smoke bombs unless demonstrations became out of security control.
 
In the same context, the Interior Minister has canceled all holidays and leaves for all officers and soldiers.
 
For his part, Ahmed Bahaauddin Shaban, a political and activist in Kifaya Movement told Ikhwanweb said that the constitutional amendments are only increasing the tight grip of the dictatorial regime on the powers in Egypt.
 
Bahaauddin pointed out that approving the constitutional amendments is a constitutional coup and a deathblow to the margin of democracy in Egypt and a return to the dark ages.
 
Bahaauddin demanded all political powers and all Egyptian citizens to take part in this sit-in and work for blocking passing the constitutional amendments.